Photokina 2012: Olympus Stand Report

The Olympus stand concentrates on the company's higher-end kit, with most of the focus on the PEN Series and OM-D. And it's the OM-D that's getting most of the attention, despite newer models being on show.

We managed to grab a look at a prototype of the 17mm F1.8 lens the company announced it is working on, and can confim it will offer the same excellent pull-back manual focus ring system as the 12mm F2.0. No-one will discuss pricing yet, but the 12mm-style build and feature set suggests it will have a similarly premium price.

Beyond this, there are examples of the two new PENs (the E-PL5 and E-PM2) circulating on a sushi-bar-style conveyor belt. There are also cases full of accessorized and decorated PENs, hinting fairly strongly at the company's intended audience for these models.

The promising-looking XZ-2 is also on show but there are hints that its availabiliy might be a little bit delayed. This is a shame, as its 28-112mm equivalent F1.8-2.5 lens (as seen in the XZ-1), combined with a modern 1/1.7" BSI CMOS sensor should make it pretty competitive in the newly resurgent enthusiast compact market.

The OM-D continues to draw quite a crowd

The m.Zuiko 17mm F1.8 lens in prototype form...

...and with (probably optional) hood.

The PEN Mini (E-PM2)

The PEN Lite (E-PL5) shows off its self-portrait capabilities.

This is the lovely XZ-2, which sports a 28-112mm equivalent F1.8-2.5 lens

It's also the first camera we've seen to have a dual mode (click or freely rotating) lens control dial

Comments

I'm disappointed the pl5 doesn't have a bif. It would make me choose between using a flash or using the vf2 evf. I was hoping it would have a tilt lcd. I'll have to see it in person, but my initial reaction is there's not enough gain in simply going from 12mp to 16mp to tempt me to upgrade my beloved pl2.

I fully agree, same situation, same problem: I'm used to use both of them at the same time.And, last but not least, the 16:9 lcd!?! Starting from a 4:3 sensor it's simply meaningless!!!It's really a pity because that sensor is awesome... I hope in a e-p5 that corrects these lacks.

The 16:9 format is said to have been to fit video (gasp!) into the full area of the screen but I see it more as fitting into the shape and area on the rear of the camera. The accessory port would have to go in order to fit a good sized 4:3 screen and I would rather keep that flexibility. Anyway, as others have commented, the blank areas either side of the 4:3 area get filled with settings and options so that the actual image is relatively uncluttered. It would be good if there was an option via a single button press to zoom in to fit the width of the screen.

Anyway, I have reassigned the video button on my E-PM1 to zoom to facilitate manual focussing which has a minimum 5x magnification.

I am just pleased that Olympus had some new models to show. That 16Mp sensor in a small body is just what I need but like others posting here - where is the E-P5 and the standard DSLR successor to the E5?

Now micro 4/3 is olympus' core business, I doubt we will get a chance of getting major improvements for the standard 4/3 anytime soon... anyway the absence of the e-p5 is quite annoying, maybe they want to sell a little more em-5 before unveiling it...

My God yes. I been seeing this on Forums for years, We all want Olympus to have Full tethering for all their cameras.I think Olympus does not know how to do this or doesn't care, because I'm sure by now they have heard people asking for it.

The most interesting news (for me) from Olympus is the new 15mm/8 lens. But no mention of it here? What gives?

As a fixed-aperture manual-(2-step)-focus lens it should even work on Pany bodies (although the lack of in-body stabilisation might be a drawback at f/8). At the suggested price it's almost a no-brainer: a slightly expensive lens cap that doubles as a super-cheap 30mm-e walkaround lens. It'll be interesting to hear more about it over time.

But not even a mention? Had me double-checking that I wasn't imagining it. :)

It's an interesting product, but don't expect it to be stellar in image quality. Notice it's not even a Zuiko lens, so Olympus doesn't think it's quality enough.

It's really a lomo lens to make E-PMx series pocketable and already ready for shoot. And when I feel like shooting with a Holga, this would be a digital alternative (i do expect it to be sharper than a Holga). But it's a fun lens. US$50 is a good price.

My concern is a successor to the E-P3. I have an E-P2 and skipped the P3 as it isn't that big an upgrade. I was hoping for an E-P5, with the OMD sensor in a higher end PEN body. The E-PL5 is nice, but I like the handling of the E-P series, with multiple control dials and a hefty, quality feel to it. Maybe at CES...

it is incredibly disappointing that Olympus have chosen to ditch the PEN that started the whole thing. I'm not holding my breath for the E-P5 to be introduced later. It seems they're trying to force people to get the expensive E-M5 which has proper build quality and dials like the e-p1/2/3.

It's interesting the E-PL5 does not auto rotate its screen in self-portrait mode. Don't know if that's an early firmware bug or whatever. The sushi conveyor is fun.

XZ-2 is nicer than expected. Almost bought an XZ-1 just because I expected XZ-2 would be an evolutionary update rather than something new. The new type of hybrid lens dial is the killer feature here, something that matters more to a pro who wants a travel camera or simply an everywhere camera. It's interesting this more pro-oriented feature is on a camera with a smaller sensor than Sony RX-100 or even the FF RX-1.

Anybody else noticed lower end E-PM1's silver matches kit lenses's silver (and 45mm's silver) and higher end E-PL5's silver matches premium lenses's (12mm and 17mm's) silver? I expect 17mm's price to be US$100-200 less than 12mm because of an easier to design focal length, but the build quality, more often used focal length, and clutch MF look promising so that might command a premium.

Yes, I was waiting for some follow-up on that too. I recall there was some interpretation required as to what exactly the earlier statement meant, so maybe all the expectations were wrong. And given day 1 of Photokina has passed without further announcements, I'm not hopeful that anything else will come up, because after all if they had something to show it would make no sense to reveal it half way through after some of the media will have left.

The XZ-2 looks nice, but given the 12mm black is essentially an existing product, the 60mm macro was announced months ago, and the PEN cameras are getting updated with existing components, you would really think they would have *something* attention grabbing to say about their high end products. A 17mm lens "in development" doesn't amount to a great deal. This is Photokina after all, not CES or a Friday afternoon press release!

why can't they *at least* come up with something like sony LA-EA2 adapter...?i can't think about my 50-500 or 150 f2 sleeping in the dust within a couple of years :( and what about those who had 300 f2,8 or 90-250? already dead after only a very few years they've been out on the market :s it's insane!

They've said they will offer something to give owners of high-grade 43 lenses something to use. Don't expect definitive answers, but we might have something to shed a bit more light on the matter soon.

Yes, I was about to say what Richard said.I.e. they didn't say it would be a camera, they said it would be a means to shoot the lenses.Hey I did say what Richard said after all.I would not be surprised if it were a smart adaptor. In fact depending on pricing I might prefer that.

I have been with Olympus for 40 years, in my 60's. Have been disappointed a couple times along the way but stuck with Oly.I have all the Oly SHG glass and, like buongustaio, need (NEED) a replacement for my E-5 (E-7). I was expecting this to be announced at Photokina this week. Won't wait much longer to throw in the towel and jump ship.

I was hoping for a hint of a future release. The best we have is a Terada interview from a couple days ago, but he said nothing for sure about an E7. The three year cycle puts a release at next fall...

Why is the lens overkill for the sensor? They could not use this lens on a bigger sensor. It is the same lens as on the XZ-1, which had the same sensor size. If they put in a bigger sensor they would need an entirely new lens. F/2.5 at 112mm? No way they could do that with a bigger sensor. If all I wanted was a bigger sensor, I still wouldn't get the RX100, I'd get a bigger camera that could take a bigger lens, or a fixed lens. I don't see a point in a larger sensor if the tradeoff is f/4.9.

More about products in this article

The holidays are a great time to take pictures — and they're a great time to get a camera for yourself or for a loved one. With more than 50 cameras going through the hands of the DPReview team over the year, we've seen it all (or so we think). Based on our collective knowledge we hope this guide will help you make an informed decision on which camera will fit your needs. In part 3, we look at enthusiast compact cameras.

Olympus UK is offering a free M. Zuiko Digital 17mm 1:2.8 Pancake lens to anyone who buys a PEN E-PL5 or PEN E-PM2 from an authorised UK stockist. The lens can be claimed though the the company's website, and the promotion runs until 15th September 2013.

Canon, Nikon, Olympus and Sigma have released firmware updates, for the EOS 650D / Rebel T4i, 1 System cameras, Stylus XZ-2 and DP Merrill-series APS-C compacts repectively. The EOS 650D gains several bug fixes, mainly related to the use of STM lenses. Nikon's 1 System cameras have been updated to add support for the new 32mm F1.2 lens and continuous AF with the Nikon mount adapter FT1 and AF-S lenses, among other refinements. The Olympus Stylus XZ-2 has been updated for support with the new VF-4 electronic finder, and Sigma's DP Merrill-series benefit from several performance and stability improvements. Click through for details.

We've just posted our review of the The Olympus PEN Mini E-PM2. The E-PM2 is an entry-level Micro Four Thirds system camera, with a 16MP CMOS sensor and full 1080 HD video. It's one of the smallest mirrorless cameras on the market and boasts 8 frames per second continuous shooting. This second generation 'Mini' is effectively the image quality 'guts' of the OM-D in a compact, lightweight, novice-friendly form. Click through to find out what we think of it.

Olympus introduced the first Pen 'Mini', the E-PM1 in late 2011. Where most interchangeable lens cameras fall somewhere on the spectrum between a point-and-shoot and a full-fledged DSLR, the E-PM1 skewed decidedly toward the compact camera side of the scale. Unlike its Digital PEN predecessors, it offered no external mode dial and relatively few physical controls, exchanging these features for the smallest and lightest footprint of any Olympus ILC.

Sony's a7R Mark III shoots 42.4MP files at 10fps and incorporates a robust video feature set, large battery, refined ergonomics and more. It certainly looks impressive, but what is it like to use, and how does it stack up against the rest of the market? Find out in our full review.

The DJI Spark has received a lot of attention thanks to its diminutive size, but how does it stack up? In our review, we take a look at what it's like to fly this pint-sized drone, as well as what's in it for photographers.

Latest buying guides

Landscape photography isn't as simple as just showing up in front of a beautiful view and taking a couple of pictures. Landscape shooters have a unique set of needs and requirements for their gear, and we've selected some of our favorites in this buying guide.

Quick. Unpredictable. Unwilling to sit still. Kids really are the ultimate test for a camera's autofocus system. We've compiled a short list of what we think are the best options for parents trying to keep up with young kids, and narrowed it down to one best all-rounder.

If you're a serious enthusiast or working pro, the very best digital cameras on the market will cost you at least $2000. That's a lot of money, but generally speaking these cameras offer the highest resolution, the best build quality and the most advanced video specs out there, as well as fast burst rates and top-notch autofocus.

Are you a speed freak? Hungry to photograph anything that goes zoom? Or perhaps you just want to get Sports Illustrated level shots of your child's soccer game. Keep reading to find out which cameras we think are best for sports and action shooting.

Those shooting portraits and weddings need a camera with a decent autofocus system, which won't give up in low interior lighting. Good image quality at medium/high ISO sensitivity settings is a must, and great colors straight out of the camera will make your life much easier. These days, video is a big deal too. Read on to see which cameras are best suited to those tasks.

National Geographic has revealed the winner's of its annual Nature Photographer of the Year contest, and every shot from the Grand Prize winner down to the Honorable Mentions and People's Choice awards are fantastic.

Dutch police began training eagles to take down illegal drones all the way back in 2016, but after running into some training issues and a lack of demand for these trained birds, the program is being shut down.

The iMac Pro finally has a release date! The 8-core and 10-core models will arrive on December 14th, starting at a whopping $5,000 for the base model. 14- and 18-core models won't be available until 2018.

Apple and Google both offer improved Portrait Modes in their latest devices, but the two manufacturers take somewhat different approaches. Take a look at side-by-side shots to see how they square up and learn about the technologies behind them.

Moab, Utah is known for its unique desert landscapes as well as a multitude of adventurous outdoor activities. We traveled there recently with Scott Rinckenberger and the Olympus OM-D E-M10 III for an action-packed weekend of rock climbing and mountain biking – with a sunrise helicopter ride for good measure.

The Olympus 45mm F1.2 is one of the company's three F1.2 lenses, promising 'feathered' bokeh wide open, and a portrait-friendly effective focal length of 90mm. Check out our updated sample gallery to see what it can do.

It's the most wonderful time of the year: time to vote for your favorite cameras and lenses in our year-end Readers' Choice Awards. It certainly was a good year for compact cameras – cast your vote before the polls close!

Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme is under fire today after video and photos seem to show him purposely kicking photographer Chelsea Lauren in the face during last night's performance. His apologies, so far, have not gone over well.

NiSi Filters has announced a new variable ND filter that offers 1.5 stops and 5 stop of density variation and, at least according to the company, doesn't suffer from the dreaded X-effect at its most extreme settings.

National Geographic photographer Paul Nicklen and the Sea Legacy team were filming through tears, as they documented some of the final hour of a starving polar bear's life. The resulting video is haunting.

This year, plenty of amazing cameras, lenses, accessories and other products came through our doors. As 2017 winds down, we're highlighting some of our standout products of the year. Check out the winners of the 2017 DPReview Awards!

Are you a speed freak? Hungry to photograph anything that goes 'zoom'? Or perhaps you just want to get Sports Illustrated-level shots of your child's soccer game. Keep reading to find out which cameras we think are best for sports and action shooting.

Still yearning for an Aperture replacement? Here's a quick overview of RAW Power, a Raw image editor for iOS that pairs with the Mac application introduced in 2016. Take a look at some of its capabilities.